


Lipstick & Liquor

by YourLocalPriestess



Series: The Princess and The Prisoner [1]
Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Arguing, Closeted Character, Drunkenness, F/F, kind of, post-ME2, pre-ME3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-13
Updated: 2017-08-13
Packaged: 2018-12-14 19:04:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11789496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YourLocalPriestess/pseuds/YourLocalPriestess
Summary: Drinks mix well, but not with bored minds.





	Lipstick & Liquor

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Rhovanel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rhovanel/gifts).



> This is a treat for Spec Req that I LOVED writing. Here's to me, falling in love with another gay-ass pairing for Jack.

“Hey you!”

Ashley turned to see a woman sitting a few seats down from her at the bar. Her head was shaved and tattoos decorated her scalp. Actually, tattoos covered her neck too, and her chest, and her torso, and her legs. Every inch of her skin that was exposed had tattoos on it. Except her face, and Ashley could understand why. Her face was all hard lines and an even harder expression, hidden behind dark red painted lips and smoky eyes. It didn’t need any other brandings to convey exactly what this woman was trying to get across.

“You deaf or something?” the woman said, raising one condescending eyebrow.

Ashley coughed and tightened her grip on her drink. “Excuse me?”

The woman stood abruptly and approached her, assuming the seat next to her without asking. “You worked with Shepard right? You’re that bitch from Horizon?”

“Yes,” she blurted, blinking in surprise. This woman was as blunt as everything else about her.

She nodded. “Me too.”

Ash frowned then, and tilted her head. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Jack.” She clinked her glass against Ash’s where it rested on the counter, then downed the drink in one gulp.

Ash frowned and pulled her drink a little closer. “I haven’t heard of you.”

Jack shrugged. “Okay.” She smirked then and ordered another drink with the wave of her hand. “I just wanted to meet the one person that could phase that woman.”

She swallowed. Maybe it was the alcohol, but barely anything this ‘Jack’ said made any sense. She couldn’t help asking, “What do you mean?”

“Like you don’t know?” Jack gave her a once over, then shrugged, seemingly deeming her to be truthful. “She was all tore up after Horizon. I nearly spaced her myself.”

“You’re full of shit,” Ash said, and then slapped her hand over her mouth. Jack narrowed her eyes at her. And like an idiot, Ash continued. “She didn’t need me.”

Jack snorted. “Don’t sell yourself short, princess. I heard her cry once, on accident. But more importantly, I heard her fucking  _ destroy  _ three weight sets.  I thought candy was going to come out.”

Ash gripped her glass tighter. “Shepard would never waste resources that way.”

“Easy for you to say when you weren’t there.” She tipped her glass in a mock ‘I told you so,’ and downed it.

Ash felt her blood boil, the combination of alcohol and this rude bitch taking its toll. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Jack’s lips curled into a triumphant smirk. Her lips were  _ full _ , Ash noticed, for no good reason. “Got a thing for Sheppy, princess?”

“Oh, fuck off,” she spat, turning to face the counter again to hide her reddening face.

“Is that a blush I see, soldier?” Jack taunted. The soldier paused, not wanting to meet the other woman’s eyes.   _ Fuck _ ...  “It’s alright, we’ve all been there.  Shepard’s the glamorous sort. Everybody wants to get in her pants.”

Ash’s head snapped her way. “Don’t you dare talk about her like that.”

Jack flashed her a grin.  “Ooh, touch-y!  Hit a nerve?” Ash scowled into her drink again. “Ah, don’t sweat it, hun. She was never gonna swing our way.”

Ash gaped and turned back to her again, despite herself, and desperately searched for something clever to say. Nothing came, leaving her mouth tangling open like some dumbstruck kid.  _ Who the hell does this woman think she is? _

“Don’t worry.” Jack smiled, though it didn’t reach her eyes, and patted her cheek twice. “I won’t tell anyone your secret.”

“Excuse you,” she scoffed, pulling back from the touch. “I’m not hiding anything.”

“Oh, I can see that much,” Jack purred, giving her another once over. This one with significantly more…heat.

She rolled her eyes. “You’re a piece of work.”

“Really now?” Jack turned so that she was fully facing her now. “So it wouldn’t matter if I kissed you  _ right now _ ? In this bar full of people?”

“I’d punch you in the fucking face,” Ash retorted, without even hesitating.

For a minute, it was quiet between them except for the rustle of the bartender and the few other patrons that still loitered in the bar.

Jack shrugged. “Worth the risk.”

Then those full lips were on Ashley’s, Jack’s hand cupping the back of her head to hold her in place. They were soft and warm; everything this woman was not. For one second, on instinct, Ash moved her lips in time with her. She couldn’t help it.

Then she pushed her back, and while Jack stood there, dazed, she punched her in the mouth.

When Jack straightened, she was grinning and wiping at a small amount of blood on her lips. “Definitely worth it.”

Ash stood then, albeit on somewhat shaky legs. Everyone was watching them now. The silence in the bar bordered on eerie. She pointed to the door. “Get out.”

Jack held her hands up in surrender. “Whatever you say, princess.” She sauntered away and turned to blow her a kiss when she reached the door. “See you around.”

As soon as she vanished, the bar went back to normal, but Ash remained standing, staring at the door.

Eventually, she sank back down on her seat and ordered another drink. When the cool liquor hit her lips and the burn raced down her throat, she forced away the comparisons of warm lips on hers and hands on her skin.

Ashley shook her head and drained her drink. Whoever that woman was, whether she really worked with Shepard or not, she would be better off if she never saw her again.

**Author's Note:**

> A million thanks to potionsmaster for all her help in my late night editing. She made this beautiful thing possible, and has urged me on to a sequel. So, more tk.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading, you wonderful, beautiful soul! You are amazing. Any comments/kudos/what-have-yous are appreciated <3


End file.
